# Looking for Oriental tobaccos without latakia



## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

I've just run through some of the McClelland Grand Orientals and I have to say I'm intrigued by the subtle intricacies of these varietals. The Classic Samsun is about as different a blend as I've encountered. I'm looking for suggestions to further this exploration. Requiem recommended Presbyterian and that looks right on target. Fulla good ideas, that Requiem. Thanks, man.

Any other recommendations? Remember... NO latakia. Not even a whisper. Something from C&D or Pease, perhaps?


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

GLP has Cairo but its freckled with perique. You can also buy blending orientals from McClelland but I don't know if I'd expect anything like those Grand Orientals. The Yenidje Supreme you sent was excellent stuff.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Mad Hatter said:


> GLP has Cairo but its freckled with perique. You can also buy blending orientals from McClelland but I don't know if I'd expect anything like those Grand Orientals. The Yenidje Supreme you sent was excellent stuff.


Perique is fair game so that's an excellent suggestion.

I'm sending you a PM regarding the GO's.


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

Mccleland makes a few

McClelland Grand Orientals


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

what about C&Ds Guilford Courthouse?
i believe that's got Izmir leaf with no latakia. 
i've tried one of their variations of it, was pretty dern good.


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## hagen (Jun 10, 2007)

*compton's #21*. spiciest orientals i ever had, balanced by virginia and neutral cavendish. it's a splendid tobacco, and worth the premium price.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

hagen said:


> *compton's #21*. spiciest orientals i ever had, balanced by virginia and neutral cavendish. it's a splendid tobacco, and worth the premium price.


I thought Compton's went the way of the dodo bird. Are they back? Where did you get this? Available stateside?


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

IHT said:


> what about C&Ds Guilford Courthouse?
> i believe that's got Izmir leaf with no latakia.
> i've tried one of their variations of it, was pretty dern good.


I'll check it out - thanks.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

hagen said:


> *compton's #21*. spiciest orientals i ever had, balanced by virginia and neutral cavendish. it's a splendid tobacco, and worth the premium price.


plus it gets you to talk to maxim... always a treat at the pipe shows (and his emails are great).

Dan, Tobacco Pipes, Smoking Pipes, Estate Pipes & they are the ppl who have "comptons" blends.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

IHT said:


> plus it gets you to talk to maxim... always a treat at the pipe shows (and his emails are great).
> 
> Dan, Tobacco Pipes, Smoking Pipes, Estate Pipes & they are the ppl who have "comptons" blends.


Outstanding! Thanks for the info, guys! I just put a tobacco order through at another place but now... golly gee whiz... I guess I'll be forced to put through another one here. More tobacco... the horror! what a shame!


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

James Fox - Campanile Mixture is an oriental Blend with no Latakia and no Perique. If you truly like Orientals, this is a delicious tobacco.

GL Pease Cairo is also an excellent oriental Blend.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

JohnnyFlake said:


> James Fox - Campanile Mixture is an oriental Blend with no Latakia and no Perique. If you truly like Orientals, this is a delicious tobacco.
> 
> GL Pease Cairo is also an excellent oriental Blend.


I've heard the Campanile has been changed and is no longer as good as it once was. Have you smoked any of the recent vintage since the change? I'm not sure what "changed" but apparently it's not as well loved as it used to be.


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## JohnnyFlake (May 31, 2006)

dmkerr said:


> I've heard the Campanile has been changed and is no longer as good as it once was. Have you smoked any of the recent vintage since the change? I'm not sure what "changed" but apparently it's not as well loved as it used to be.


I had not heard that. The last two tins I had were purchased at least 3 or 4 years ago, and I finished the last of what I had about 6 months ago. I will admit that it is a very good tobacco but not one of my favorite styles, so I have not purchased any recently.


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## Alyks (Jun 2, 2007)

Why has no one mentioned GL Pease Embarcadero yet? I found this blend to be slightly sweet, a little spicy and very enjoyable.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

IHT said:


> plus it gets you to talk to maxim... always a treat at the pipe shows (and his emails are great).
> 
> Dan, Tobacco Pipes, Smoking Pipes, Estate Pipes & they are the ppl who have "comptons" blends.


My wallet hates you but my pipe collection loves you. I just ordered 2 bags of the Compton's (thanks Hagen!) but also saw a Dunhill ODA that I just had to buy. But for now, I'm elated. I'll gripe for a minute or two when I get the Visa bill.


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## KinnScience (Mar 11, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> I've just run through some of the McClelland Grand Orientals and I have to say I'm intrigued by the subtle intricacies of these varietals. The Classic Samsun is about as different a blend as I've encountered. I'm looking for suggestions to further this exploration. Requiem recommended Presbyterian and that looks right on target. Fulla good ideas, that Requiem. Thanks, man.
> 
> Any other recommendations? Remember... NO latakia. Not even a whisper. Something from C&D or Pease, perhaps?


Sure, my favorite is Samuel Gawith.. Sam's Flake. Not even a smidgen of Latakia in there AFAIK.

It is one fantastic VA/Oriental.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

KinnScience said:


> Sure, my favorite is Samuel Gawith.. Sam's Flake. Not even a smidgen of Latakia in there AFAIK.
> 
> It is one fantastic VA/Oriental.


Thanks - that seems to fit the bill.

I had to laugh, though - one of the reviewers on tobaccoreviews.com said he smoked 3 "bowels" of this stuff. Or maybe he meant it smoked HIS bowels. LOL


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## KinnScience (Mar 11, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> Thanks - that seems to fit the bill.
> 
> I had to laugh, though - one of the reviewers on tobaccoreviews.com said he smoked 3 "bowels" of this stuff. Or maybe he meant it smoked HIS bowels. LOL


I like orientals .. a lot. I have some others that I have not yet tried. Frankly, I cannot even remember what they are .... I don't really remember half of what I bought and I haven't gone through it all. Anyway, I know I got some straight Izmir (spelling sorry) along with a few VA/orientals. Give me a week or so and I'll check them out and get back to ya. Send me your address, I'll send ya a couple samples.


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## hagen (Jun 10, 2007)

dmkerr said:


> My wallet hates you but my pipe collection loves you. I just ordered 2 bags of the Compton's (thanks Hagen!) but also saw a Dunhill ODA that I just had to buy. But for now, I'm elated. I'll gripe for a minute or two when I get the Visa bill.


please forgive me that i didn't answer re: where to get "compton's". anyway, you got hold of it, and that's the important thing. let us know what you think of _#21_!


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

KinnScience said:


> I like orientals .. a lot. I have some others that I have not yet tried. Frankly, I cannot even remember what they are .... I don't really remember half of what I bought and I haven't gone through it all. Anyway, I know I got some straight Izmir (spelling sorry) along with a few VA/orientals. Give me a week or so and I'll check them out and get back to ya. Send me your address, I'll send ya a couple samples.


Let me know what you have. I've been going on an oriental sans latakia binge lately and I've tried a bunch. When this Compton's shows up, I'll let you know how that goes and perhaps we can make a trade. Straight Izmir? Or Izmir in a virginia blend?

Orientals are really ringing my chimes these days.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Have you tried MacBaren Mixture? It has a heavy turkish Izmir character


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## hagen (Jun 10, 2007)

Mad Hatter said:


> Have you tried MacBaren Mixture? It has a heavy turkish Izmir character


i highly doubt there's the slightest trace of turkish or other oriental in macbaren mixture.


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## KinnScience (Mar 11, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> Let me know what you have. I've been going on an oriental sans latakia binge lately and I've tried a bunch. When this Compton's shows up, I'll let you know how that goes and perhaps we can make a trade. Straight Izmir? Or Izmir in a virginia blend?
> 
> Orientals are really ringing my chimes these days.


Both


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## maboman (Feb 27, 2008)

GL Pease Embarcadero is very good. GL Pease Cairo was mentioned also but it is very light and I don't care for it much.

I atually mixed some of the Cairo I had left with some Penzance I had....turned out pretty well 

Embarcadero would be my pick though.

Maboman


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

hagen said:


> i highly doubt there's the slightest trace of turkish or other oriental in macbaren mixture.


I don't doubt it. Ttaste similarity between straight Izmir and Mixture is definitely there. The label says its made from over 35 different tobaccos so I'd think that ups the chance there just might be some oriental in it.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Mad Hatter said:


> Have you tried MacBaren Mixture? It has a heavy turkish Izmir character


Is that the old Scottish Mixture or something else? I haven't smoked Scottish Mixture in decades. Didn't much care for it back then, but back then if a blend had burley in it, it was an aromatic. Yeah, I was a snob. It's much nicer these days to try new things and to get help from others than it was then when I knew everything.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

dmkerr said:


> Is that the old Scottish Mixture or something else? I haven't smoked Scottish Mixture in decades. Didn't much care for it back then, but back then if a blend had burley in it, it was an aromatic. Yeah, I was a snob. It's much nicer these days to try new things and to get help from others than it was then when I knew everything.


That's it Dan. I like it but don't smoke it much these days. I can send you a sample some time if you want to try it again.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

maboman said:


> I atually mixed some of the Cairo I had left with some Penzance I had....turned out pretty well  Maboman


Hey, that sounds interesting! I would have never thought of that. I have some leftover Cairo and a particularly generous BOTL just sent me some Penzance (thanks, Hatter!) so I might just put together a small batch of that. I do like Penzance by itself but wasn't so pumped by Cairo. Thanks for the tip!


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Mad Hatter said:


> That's it Dan. I like it but don't smoke it much these days. I can send you a sample some time if you want to try it again.


The pipe shop I worked at years ago used to buy that in 5 pound bulk bags and slap their own name on it (Scotsman... really clever!). We sold quite a bit of it. We also bought Virginia #1 and Golden Extra in bulk. I think MacBaren's was the first to sell it that way but only to tobacco shops. Dunhill 965 and EMP came out shortly thereafter.

Ahh... memories! Getting old has its upside - memories. Unfortunately, at some point, we'll have a lot of memories but won't be able to remember them.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

MacB Scottish Mixture is quite tasty, although it´s the only tobacco that hurts my throat after a full bowl.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Requiem said:


> MacB Scottish Mixture is quite tasty, although it´s the only tobacco that hurts my throat after a full bowl.


GLP Fillmore does that to me. And it gives me the hiccups.


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## hagen (Jun 10, 2007)

Mad Hatter said:


> I don't doubt it. Ttaste similarity between straight Izmir and Mixture is definitely there. The label says its made from over 35 different tobaccos so I'd think that ups the chance there just might be some oriental in it.


i remember smoking _macbaren mixture_ back when i was a pipe novice, finding it pretty nice at a time when anything oriental would make me gag. as i don't find any mention of oriental tobaccos in any description of it, anywhere, i think it wouldn't be fair to see it as an "oriental tobaccos without latakia".

of course, with 35 different tobaccos in it, it may also contain some oriental leaf. on the other hand, this is described as a cavendish-heavy burley-virginia blend by divers vendors, and that's how i remember it: a nice quality typical danish semi-aromatic, really.


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## Dedalus (Dec 10, 2008)

So Dan, how about an Oriental Showdown a la SlowTriathlete's Vaper showdown?

I've really been let down by Pease blends, but I'm willing to go out on a limb one more time and pick up some Embarcadero. SG Sam's Flake sounds like it might be worth trying as well, since I'm a FVF whore.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Dedalus said:


> So Dan, how about an Oriental Showdown a la SlowTriathlete's Vaper showdown?
> 
> I've really been let down by Pease blends, but I'm willing to go out on a limb one more time and pick up some Embarcadero. SG Sam's Flake sounds like it might be worth trying as well, since I'm a FVF whore.


SlowTriathlete's got it all over me as a reviewer! That was a freaking AMAZING undertaking, and I'm not sure I have the talent or the patience. Plus I'm still waiting for the Compton's #21 that I ordered over a month ago. I'm not complaining, though - I'm just enjoying the anticipation.

Personal taste is a funny thing. I have yet to find a Pease blend that I find anything more than "ho-hum" despite all the hype. I'm not sure why. They're all either too potent or too young or too insipid or too unrealized. A lot of people love GLP and I respect that but I don't share it at this point. After trying 6 of their blends, I've decided to explore elsewhere


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